The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-27
ClINTON'S CENTENNIAL,
Celebration at President Cleve-
lands Former Home.
Two Addresses Delivered by the
Nations Executive.

President Cleveland, with his wife anu
sister, Miss Rose Cleveland participated on
Wednesday in the centennial exercises of the
village of Clinton, N. Y, the former home of
the Cleveland family. The procession
consisted of six divisions of firemen,
militia, societies, etc. Chiefs Skenah-
ioa and Daxtater, descendants of the
Indians who gave the site Of the village to
the original settlers, and over 100 Oneidas,
with the Indian band from the Onondaga
reservation, were in the line. One Grand
Army post, that of Clinton, took part in the
parade Several others refused to take part
in the procession.
The exercises in Clinton Park began at 80
P NJ. The Rev. Henry Darling, President OF
Rev. Z. z. Powell made the address of vel
come, and President Cleveland spoke as fol-
lows:
II am by no means certain of my standing
here among those who celebrate the centen-
NAL of Clinton's existence as village. My
recollections Of the place reach backward but
about thirty-six years, and my residence here
covered Il very brief period: But these re,
collections are fresh and distinct to-day, and
pleasant, too though not entirely free from
sombre coloring. 1t was here in the school at
the foot of College Hill that began my prepa-
ration for college life, and enjoyed the anti
cipation of collegiate education. We had two
teachers in our school. Cne became after
ward q Judge in Chicago, and the other
passed through the legal profession to the
ministry, and within the last two years
was living further west. l read lit
tie Latin with two other boys in the
class think tioundered through four books
of the LFneid The other boys had nice, large
modern editions of Virgil, with big print and
plenty of notes to help one over hard places.
Mine was little old-fashioned copy which
my father used before me, with no notes, and
which was only translated by hard knocks.
I believe l have forgiven those other
bows for their persistent refusal to allow
me the use of their notes in their books
At any rate they do not seem to have
been overtaken by any dire retribution US
one of them is now a rich and prosperous
LAWYER in Buffalo, and the other is u Profess
sor in your college and orator of to-days cele-
bration. Struggles with ten lines of Virgil,
which at first made up my daily task, are
amusing as remembered now: but with them
am also forced to remember that instead OF
being the beginning of higher education, for
which l honestly longed, they occurred
near the end of my school advan-
tages. This suggests disappointment,
which no lapse of time can alleviate, and
deprivation I have sadly felt with every pass
ing year. remember Benoni Butler and his
store. I don't know whether he was an habit
ual poet or not, but heard him reclte one
poem of his own manufacture, which EN-
bodied an account OF travel TO or from
Clinton in the early days. l can recall but
two lines of the poem, as follows:
"sParis Hill next came in sight,
And there we tarred over night
81 remember the next-door neighbors, Drs.
Bissell and Scollard-and good, kind neigh.
bors they were, too-not your cross, Grabbed
kind, who could not bear to see boy about.
1t always seemed to me that they drove very
fine horses. and for that reason thought they
must be extremely rich. don't know that
I should indulge in further recollections that
must seem very little like centennial history,
but want to establish as we'll as | can my
right to be here. might have spoken of the
college faculty, who cast such pleasing
though sober shade of dignity over
the place, and who, with other edu.
Gated and substantial citizens, made ur
the best of social life. l was boy then, but,
Notwithstanding, believe absorbed 4 lasting
appreciation of the intelligence, of the refine
ment which made this delightful home.
~ know that you will bear with me, my
friends. if yield to the impulse which the
mention of home creates and speak OF my
own home here, and how through the memo
ries which cluster about it I may claim ten
der relationship to your village. Here
it was that our family circle entire,
parents and children, lived day after day
in loving and affectionate converse, and here,
for the asst time, we met around the family
altar and thanked God that our household
was unbroken by death or separation. We
never net together in any other home after
leaving this and death followed closely our
dcparture. And thus it IS, that as, with
advancing years 1 survey the havoc
death has made, and the thoughts of my early
home become more sacred, the remembrance
of this pleasant spot isrevived and chastened.
I can orly add my thanks for the privilege of
being with YOU to-day, and wish for the vii
lage of Clinton in the future a continuation
and increase of the blessings of the past"
Professor A. G. Hopkins delivered the his
torical address, Professor Owen Root the
grafton, and Clinton Scollard, of Clinton, the
poem.
At the banquet which followed the exer-
cises, in response to the toast: "The Presi-
dent of the United States" President Cleve.
land spoke again, referring to his office and ITS
RESPONSIBILITIES, concluding as follows. IF
your President should not be OF the people and
one of your fellow citizens he would be utterly
unfit for the position, incapable of under
standing the peoples wants and careless OF
their desires That no is one OF the people
implies that ne is SuoJecV 10 human Hailcy
and error, but he should be permitted to
claim but little liberation for mistakes. The
generosity of his fellow citizens should alone
decree how far good intentions should excuse
his shortcomings. Watch well then this high
Office, the most precious possession of American
citizenship. Demand for it the most COM
plete devotion on the part Of him to whose
custody it may be intrusted, and protect it not
less vigilantIy from unworthy assaults from
without Thus will you perform sacred
duty to yourselves and to those who may
follow you in the enjoyment of the freest
institutions which heaven has ever vouch-
safcd to man."
After the exercises, Mrs. Cleveland gave
reception, which was attended by many ladies';
At p. u. the Presidential party reacned
Utica on their return, and was escorted 70
the residence of Senator Herman, where tney
dine;l. In the evening Mr.. and Mrs. Cleve-
land gave public reception in the Butter
field House Parlors
The next morning the President and wife
proceeded by special train to Forestport 10
visit Mr.. Cleveiand's brother, the Rev. W.
NJ. Cleveland. The Presidential party, ac-
companied by Secretary and Mrs. talrchild,
spent Saturday on a tour down the st. Law
renee River among the Thousand Islands